Attachment for musical instruments



(No Model.)

M. J. BETZ. ATTAGHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. No. 513,295. Patented Jan. 23,1894.

"I wa ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL J. BETZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,295, dated January 23, 1894. Application filed May 23,1898. SerialNoML'ldZZG. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL J. BETZ, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Attachment for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to musical instruments such as zithers, and its object is to provide a new and improved attachment which permits the performer to readily and conveniently sound the proper chords for accompaniment, without striking the individual strings forming the desired chord with the several fingers of the hand.

The invention consists of certain parts and details, and combinations of the same, as will be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is an under side view of the improvement; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section of the same on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The musical instrument such as a zitherA, is of the usual construction and is provided with the accompaniment or bass strings B, and the usual melody strings 0. On the top of the musical instrument and extending across the strings B and O is arranged a bridge D, on which are mounted to slide vertically a number of buttons E, adapted to be pressed by the operator for sounding a chord as hereinafter more fully described.

Next to each button E on top of the bridge D is arranged a plate F, indicating the desired chord to be sounded by the corresponding button. See Fig.1. 'lhelowerendsofthe buttons E extend to the under side of the bridge D and each rests on top of the free end of a spring G, secured by a screw G or other device to the under side of the bridge as plainly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. On each of the springs G and near the free end thereof, is fulcrumed a finger piece H, provided on its lower end with a flexible plate I, held in place by a set screw J, and adapted to engage or pick the strings Bforming the desired chord. Each of the finger pieces H is provided with an extension II, arranged approximately at right angles thereto and adapted to engage a fixed staple K, secured to the under side of the bridge D. The top edge of the extension II is formed with a bevel H so that the finger piece II on its return stroke does not touch the strings previously sounded with the flexible finger I. Now, it will be seen that when the device is in the position as shown in Fig. 8, and the operator desires to sound the chord he presses the correspond ing button I1, whereby a downward swinging motion is given to the corresponding spring G. This downward swinging motion of the spring causes a downward movement of the finger piece II so that the extension I'l thereof comes in contact with the fixed staple K, whereby a swinging motion is given to this finger piece in the direction of the arrow to, so that the flexible finger I passes rapidly over a single string or several strings forming the chord, thus sounding the string orstrings to produce said chord. As soon as the operator, after sounding the string or strings, releases the pressure on the button F, then the force of the spring G returns the button and also the finger piece II, which now moves upward in an inclined position so that the finger piece I does not touch the strings B, and when the finger piece finally comes in con tact at its beveled edge ll with the under side of the bridge D, then a swinging and slight downward movement is given to the finger piece so that the finger I moves into the proper position to again strike the strings at the next downward movement of the corresponding button E. operator sounds the melody string 0 with the ring on his finger, in the usual manner, and presses the button E with his left hand, sounding the desired string or strings forming the accompaniment. If desired, two or more of the buttons may be pressed simultaneously by the several fingers ot the left hand so as to sound a number of chords simultaneously. It will be seen that by this arrangement, the operator is not liable to strike wrong strings in the accompaniment, as pressin g a button always sounds the proper strings Now, in playing, the

' piece instead of a whole chord, it desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An attachment for musicalinstruments, provided with a sliding button, a spring adapted to be pressed on at its free end by the said button and a finger piece pivoted on the said spring and arranged to pick a single string or a number of strings forming the desired chord, substantially as described.-

2. An attachment for musical instruments comprising a sliding button, a flat spring engaged at its free end by the said button, a finger piece pivoted on the said spring, and a flexible finger carried by the said finger piece and adapted to pick a single string or a number of strings forming the desired chord, substantially as described.

3. An attachment for musical instruments, comprising a bridge spanning the strings of the musical instrument,buttons fitted to slide in the said bridge, a spring secured on the under side of the said bridge and adapted to be engaged at its free end by one of the said buttons, a finger piece fulcrumed near the free end of the said spring, and a staple attached to the said bridge and adapted to be engaged by an extension on the said finger piece, substantially as shown and described.

4. An attachment for musical instruments, comprising a bridge spanning the strings of the musical instrument, buttons fitted to slide in the said bridge, a spring secured on the under side of the said bridge and adapted to be engaged at its free end by one of the said buttons, a finger piece fulcrumed near the free end of the said spring, a staple attached to the said bridge and adapted to be engaged by an extension on the said finger piece, and a flexible finger arranged'on the said finger piece and adapted to pick a single string or a number of strings forming the desired chord, substantially as shown and described.

5. Au attachment for musical instruments, comprising a bridge spanning the strings of the musical instrument, buttons fitted to slide in the said bridge, a spring secured on the under side of the said bridge and adapted to be engaged at its free end by one of the said buttons, a finger piece fulcrumed near the free end of the said spring, a staple attached to the said bridge and adapted to be engaged by an extension on the said finger piece, a flexible finger arranged on the said finger piece and adapted to pick a single string or a number of strings forming the desired chord, and a plate indicating the desired chord and arranged on top of the said bridge next to the corresponding button, substantially as shown and described.

6. An attachment for musical instruments, comprising a bridge spanning the strings of the musical instrument, buttons fitted to slide in the said bridge, a spring secured on the under side of the said bridge and adapted to be engaged at its free end by one of the said buttons, a finger piece fulcrumed near the free end of the said spring, an extension on the said finger piece and provided with a beveled edge adapted to engage the under side of the said bridge, and a staple attached to the said bridge and adapted to be engaged by the said extension on the said finger piece, substantially as shown and described.

MICHAEL J. BETZ.

Witnesses:

F. T. VAETH, JOHN FRITZ. 

